By Tom Frary
Saturday's G3 Solario Stakes lost two key actors in Rock Montreal and Sergei Diaghilev after the rain fell on Sandown, leaving the admirable Alfred Wallace (Dubawi) to pick up the pieces in the seven-furlong feature.
Highly tried so far, Rockcliffe Stud's homebred son of their Falmouth heroine Snow Lantern (Frankel) had won Ascot's Pat Eddery Stakes and been fourth in the Acomb at York before encountering this easier surface that was always going to bring out more improvement.
Placed on the flanks of the early leader by Kieran Shoemark from the outset, the Ed Walker-trained 11-4 second favourite took over passing the two pole and kept producing to pull out a decisive advantage soon after. At the line, he had two half-length margins to spare over last week's Convivial Maiden runner-up Dover Street (Persian Force) from the Richard Hannon stable and the well-touted Salisbury maiden winner Breacher (Cracksman) representing the Muir and Grassick set-up.
“He's a really tough, loveable horse and a dream for any trainer,” Ed Walker said. “He has surprised us and surprised us, he just tries his heart out every day and eats and sleeps. What he lacks in size he makes up for in heart and determination. I was kicking myself for running at York, I talked myself into running there which was a mistake and thankfully he came out of that race really well.”
“Temperament is key and he takes his races so well,” he added. “We wanted to make his experience tell today, as it was an inexperienced field and it had some notable non-runners. I've not trained many by Dubawi, but they tell me they can be workmanlike at home but are gritty and tough on the racetrack and this guy sums that up. He's very important to Rockcliffe Stud and we'll be entered in the Group 1 races.”
TOUGH ✊
Alfred Wallace clings on gamely to land the G3 Solario Stakes for the @kingsdownstable team.@BetMGMUK | @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/31Zseq50M3
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 29, 2026
Pedigree Notes
As mentioned above, Alfred Wallace's dam Snow Lantern was a Group 1 winner like her own dam Sky Lantern (Red Clubs) who captured four at that level including the 1,000 Guineas. The second foal out of Snow Lantern, Alfred Wallace is also related to the Group winners Shanty Star (Hector Protector), Arctic (Shamardal), Songlark (Singspiel) and Blatant (Machiavellian). Snow Lantern's colt foal is by Kingman.
Saturday, Sandown, Britain
BETMGM SOLARIO STAKES-G3, £75,000, Sandown, 8-29, 2yo, 7fT, 1:32.35, g/s.
1–ALFRED WALLACE (GB), 129, c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Snow Lantern (GB) (G1SW-Eng), by Frankel (GB)
2nd Dam: Sky Lantern (Ire), by Red Clubs (Ire)
3rd Dam: Shawanni (GB), by Shareef Dancer
1ST GROUP WIN. (£375,000 RNA 2yo '26 GOFLO). O/B-Rockcliffe Stud; T-Ed Walker; J-Kieran Shoemark. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 7-3-0-0, $137,025. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dover Street (Ire), 129, c, 2, Persian Force (Ire)–Highland Class (GB), by Highland Reel (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€16,000 Wlg '24 GOFNOF; £62,000 Ylg '25 GOFFUK). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Thomas Keane; T-Richard Hannon. £16,125.
3–Breacher (GB), 129, c, 2, Cracksman (GB)–Callendula (GB), by Halling. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-R Haim; T-William Muir & Chris Grassick. £8,070.
Margins: HF, HF, 2HF. Odds: 2.75, 16.00, 3.33.
Also Ran: Green Sovereign (GB), Mia Fantasia (Ire), Kodiac City (Ire), Sonic Angel (GB), Firehorse (Ire). Scratched: Rock Montreal (Ire), Sergei Diaghilev (Ire).
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